124 KITE. 



The eye of the Hawk and the fire therein. 



Coleridge— TelVs Birthplace. 



This bold, active, little short-winged Hawk, is nearly as common 

 as the Kestrel. It is much less abundant than formerly, but it is still 

 to be found throughout the county. It chiefly lives upon birds, 

 but will also take mice, insects, beetles and cockchafers. It 

 usually builds in the deserted nest of a Crow or Magpie, but will 

 occasionally build its own nest. The female, as usual with birds 

 of prey, is stronger and bolder than the male, and both are very 

 destructive in the poultry yard and the game preserve. In the 

 Zoologist for 1865, it is mentioned that a brood of young Sparrow- 

 Hawks were taken, and put in a cage near the nest. In two days 

 the old Hawk brought them ten birds, viz. : two young Peewits, 

 two young Thrushes, two young Chaffinches, a Skylark, a Meadow 

 Pipit, a Willow Wren, and another newly-hatched Squab (p. 9440). 



Mr. W. C. Blake, of Ross, gives two illustrations of the 

 audacity of the Sparrow-Hawk. In 1875, one dashed through the 

 glass of the vinery at the Gas Works, at Ross, after a small bird ; 

 and in 1879, another plunged through the glass roof of the con- 

 servatory at Gayton Hall, tempted by the sight of some Canaries ; 

 numerous other similar examples might be given. 



The Sparrow-Hawk is a wild bird and difficult to tame, but 



there are falconers who can do so, and use it for hawking 



Partridges, Landrails, Blackbirds, and Thrushes. In Lombardy, 



it is not thought extraordinary, for a Sparrow-Hawk to take from 



seventy to eighty quails for its master in a single day. 



Enough for me 

 To boast the gentle Spar-hawk on my fist, 

 Or fly the Partridge from the bristly field. 



SOMERVILLE— i^ieW SpoH. 



Genus— MILVUS. 

 MILVUS ICTINUS— Kite. 



Kites that swim sublime 

 In still-repeated circles, screaming loud. 



CowPEK— iZ%e Soja. 



